Retractable fountain pen



Jan. l, 1963 P. wlNcHELL RETRACTABLE FOUNTAIN PEN 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledJan. 50 1961 JNVENToR. PAUL Wl NCHELL Jan. 1, 1963 P. wlNcHELL 3,071,113

RETRACTABLE FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Jan. so, 1961 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.PAUL WINCHELL United dtates Patent Patented Jian. l, ldt

3,071,113 RETE/MJT FQUNTAEN PEN Paul Winehell, EL-h 166th St.,Whitestone, NY. filled dan. Eil, i961, Ser. No. 35,843 3 maints. (El.Mou-42.03)

This invention concerns an improved fountain pen and more particularly afountain pen having a retractable pen point.

According to the invention there is provided a fountain pen having acylindrical barrel in which is slidably disposed a hollow cylindricaltube. In the tube is fitted a pen point and inl; feeding stern. An inkfilled cartridge is removably disposed in the Atube and held there by ascrew cap. The cap has an axially extending push button on its endextending beyond the barrel when the pen point is retracted into thebarrel. A coil spring in the barrel biases the pen carrying tube to aretracted position. ln order to hold the point extended, there isprovided a latch element formed on a spring clip. rfhis element engagesin a hole in the tube to hold the tube in a forward position. The clipis normally dis posed in a recess in the barrel so that the outerside ofthe clip is liush with the exterior of the barrel. When the clip islifted, the latch element is disengaged from the tube and the pen pointretracts into the barrel, while the push button becomes extended. Uponpushing the push button inwardly into the barrel, the pen point extendsand the latch element engages the tubes at the same time that the springclip retracts into the recess in the barrel. The tube containing the inkcartridge is provided with a prong at its inner end which pierces theinl; cartridge to open a hole in one end `and establish an inl; supplyto the ink; feeding stein. When the screw cap is tightened on the tubeinitially after insertion of the ink cartridge, the prong at the innerend of the 'tube pierces the closed end of the ink cartridge.

it is therefore one object of the invention to provide a fountain penhaving a retractable pen point fed with ink by an inl; cartridge.

it is another object to provide a fountain pen of the characterdescribed, wherein a spring clip is instrumental in locking the penpoint in extended wri position.

A further object is to provide a Vfountain pen of the retractable pointtype, in which a spring clip is recessed when the point is extended inwriting position.

A still further object is to provide a retractable 'type of fountain penor simplified structure which can be manufactured and assembled at lowcost, which is durable, and whose several parts can be easily repairedor replaced when worn.

For further comprehension of the invention, d of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particuarly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming i material part of this disclosure:

FIG. l is a side View of a fountain pen embodying the invention, with tie pen point extended.

FIG. 2 is another' side view showing the pen rotated 90 from theposition of FlG. l.

F G. 3 is a lonvitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional View similar to PEG. 3 slowing the pen point inretracted position, with spring clip and push button extended, partsbeing shown in elevation.

FG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the unassem- .bled pen, showingessential internal components thereof.

FiG. 6 is a View similar to FIG. 4 but showing a modified forni of theinvention.

FiG. 7 is view similar to FIG. 6, showing another modified form of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a hollow cylindrical barrel l@including a forward tubular portion l2 having a tapered forward open endl5. rhe rear end of the tubular portion l2 is formed with an internalthread ld, see FGS. 3 and 5. An annular flange in is integrally formedwith the tubular portion l2 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A. coilspring ld seats on this flange. The barrel has a rear, tubular portion17 formed with a tapered open rear end Ztl. The forward end of thetubular portion if] has a threaded nipple 22 which engages with threadld in the forward tubular portion l?. to corn-plete the barrel. Anelongated, longitudinally extending recess 2d is formed in the outerside of barrel portion Il". A spring clip is secured at one end by rivetin the recess. A notch 28 formed in the recess 24 at the free endthereof permits the user to insert a ngernail under the end E@ of thespring clip to lift that end outwardly. Clip Z5 is formed with a pin 3@which serves as a latch clement in the pen. This pin fits into a hole 32formed in the side of a tube 3d slidable inside the pen barrel.

Tube 34 has a tapered forward end 35 inwhich lits a pen points and inlrfeed stem 3S. The stern has a groove to guide ink 42 from cartridge 44to the pen point. The ink cartridge is removably disposed in tube 3d.This cartridge includes a closed plastic casing having a frangibleforward wall iid. A prong ES is seated in the forward end of the tube 3dto pierce the wall 46 and form opening when the cartridge is fullyseated in the tube. An internally threaded cap 5? screws on thethrcadefJ end 52 of the tube to force the cylindrical cartridge intofully seated position in the tube. rihe cap has a cylindrical rod-likeextension whose end appears as a push button when the extensionpartially projects out of the barrel as shown in lGS. 4 and 5. Adiaphrarn or mass of fibrous material dit may be disposed in space 6lbetween the end of tubular portion l?. and flange le or in front of theflange in order to wipe the pen point 31E and seal the opening in thebarrel when the pen poil is retracted.

ln the writing position of the pen shown in FIGS. l-3, pin 3@ is seatedin hole 32. The clip 25 is retracted into recess flush with the outersurface of the barrel lli. Extension Eid is retracted and the end of thepoint 36 is extended. Spring l is compressed. When the free end 29 ofthe clip 25 is lifted at the notch end of recess 2d, pin is lifted outof hole L and the spring l retracts the tube and pen point to thepositions shown in FIG. 4. Pin Sil then bears on the outer wall of tube3d under tension of clip 25.

The extended clip can be employed to hold the barrel of the pen with thepen point upright, upon the rirn of a garment pocket. rhere will be nodanger of soiling the garment since the pen point is fully retractedinto the barrel. The push button end of extension 5ft projects outwardlyin order to extend the pen point, it will only be necessary to push theextension 5d inwardly into the barrel. Pin Eil will then engage in hole32 and the clip 2S will retract into recess 2d. Accidental retraction orextension of the pen point is not possible since the tube 34tmust bemoved against spring tension to extend the pen point; and the clip mustbe lifted against spring tension to release the pin 3i) from tube 34.

The modified form of fountain pen shown in FIG. 6 differs from the form.of HG. l in that the barrel is sectional having a front section liti',an intermediate section o5 and a rear section 2d constituting a cap. Thefront section lil' is formed with a reduced end having amalis l externalthreads 65 to receive the internal threads 68 on the adjacent end of theimmediate section 65. The intermediate section 65 is formed with anexternal threaded extension 69 to receive the internal threads 71 on theadjacent end of the cap iti'.

in this modified form of pen, the tube 3d' extends to the tip l5 with apen wiper device 60 disposed around the tip end thereof. The pen point36 is shown in extended position and is shown held in extended positionby means of a round lug 72 formed on the inner surface of the capengaging in an annular groove formed on the extension 54 on the tube 3d.An ordinary rubber sac or bladder d4 filled with ink is housed in thetube 3d', and is provided with a finger pump 75 for pumping init throughthe feeding stem 3S to the pen point 36.

The extension 54 is provided with a collar 7e. fastened thereon by meansof a pin 78. The collar serves as a seat for one end of the compressionspring 18', the other end of the spring iinpinging against an annularledge S3 on the inner surface of the intermediate section 65. The outerextremity of the extension is formed with a round knob 32 and with aninner head 8d spaced inwardly thereof. A slight lateral urge and anoutward pull on 'the knob 82 will release the lug 72 from the groove 74to permit retraction of the pen point, the passage 86 being suiicientlywide to permit this operation.

There has thus been provided a positive acting extension and retractionmechanism for a fountain pen including a replaceable inlt cartridge andpen point fed by ink drawn from the cartridge.

Referring now to the modification shown in FIG. 7, in this form of theinvention, a fountain pen of ordinary construction having a barrel 92,enclosing an inl; bladder (not shown). A pen point 9d is normallyconcealed in a tubular casing or barrel 9d provided with a cap 9Sthreaded onto a threaded extension 160 on the end of the case or barrel9e. The case 96 is formed with an inner annular flange 02 intermediateits ends and with a second inner annular fiange ltld adjacent its frontend. A mass life of fibrous material is packed in the front of the casebetween the annular flange ltld and the front thereof, which mass ofmaterial serves as a wiper for the pen point 94 and also seals theopening at the front from air so as to prevent the ink from drying.

The fountain pen 9o is formed with an outer annular fiange 167intermediate its ends and sleeved around the barrel 92 of the fountainpen there is a coil spring ltl having one end seated on the annular ange102 and its other end impinging against the annular iiange 107 on the'i' fountain pen so as to urge the fountain pen inwardly in order toretract the pen point 94. The Vfountain pen is provided with the usualmetal plate lo@ operatively connected to the ink sac for pumping inkfrom the sack to the pen point.

An extension ffl is formed on the rear end of the fountain pen andextends through a hole lf3 formed in the end of the cap 98. Theextension has a semi-round knob or finger piece M5 for sliding thefountain pen and is formed with an annular bead iid inwardly of the knobthat serves to limit the inward sliding movement of the fountain pen inthe outer case 96. 'Ihe extension lll is formed with a reduced end lilothereby forming an annular groove lf3 between the flat end of thefountain pen and the body of the extension lill. An annular flange 12his formed on the inner surface of the cap 9S adjacent its rear end.

The fountain pen 9o is adapted to be slid inwardly of the case 96against the action of the spring llti in order to move the pen point 94outwardly for writing purposes. ln order to hold the pen in thisoutwardly operative position, the pen is moved inwardly by means of theknob H5' and the pen is then tilted sidewise so as to move the annulargroove M8 over and into interlocking relationship with the annularflange 12.0. The hole il?? in the cap 93 is sufiiciently wide to permitthis operation. When the flange is in the groove li it abuts against theshoulders provided by the fiat end of the fountain pen 9d and the flatend of the extension ill. ln order to retract the fountain pen, theextension 11i is tilted in the opposite direction in order to releasethe ange from the groove, whereupon the spring ltl forces the fountainpen inwardly carrying the pen point inside the case 96.

-/hile i have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having tous described :my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent l, A fountain pen, comprising acylindrical barrel, a tubular body axially disposed in the barrel andslidable therein, said body `h-.tving a lateral hole near one endthereof, a cylindrical cartridge containing ink axially disposed in saidbody, said cartridge having a frangible end wall, a pen point and inkfeeding stem inserted in said one end of said body and slidabletherewith to extend out of one end of the barrel and to retract withinsaid one end of the barrel in two different positions of said body inthe barrel, a rod-like member coaxial with said body and movable toproject one end thereof out of the other end of the barrel in oneposition of the body while the pen point is retracted inside the barrel,a coil spring in the barrel coaxial with :said body and bearing on saidone end thereof, said spring biasing said body to said one positionthereof for retracting the pen point and extendin g the rod-like member,an elongated spring clip secured at one end thereof near said one end ofthe barrel, said clip having a catch pin near said one end thereofengageable in the hole in said body for holding the body in the other ofsaid two positions with the pen point extended from the barrel )and withsaid one end of the rod-like member retracted into the barrel, saidbarrel having an annular frange near the other end thereof providing aseat for said spring, said barrel having an external, lateral,longitudinally extending recess, said clip having a free other enddisposed in said recess so that the clip lies fiush with the exterior ofthe barrel when the pen point is extended in writting position, saidfree other end of the clip extending toward the other end of the barrel,a prong carried by said body interiorly thereof and piercing theAfrangible end wall of the cartridge to form an opening therein, saidstem having an ink feeding groove corn.- municating with the opening inthe end wall of the cartridge, and a cap detachably secured to the otherend of said body applying pressure axially to the cartridge to forcesaid end wall against said prong and maintain said opening incommunication with said groove, said rod-like mem-ber being integralwith said cap and extending axially therefrom, whereby lifting the freeend of the spring clip ou-t of said recess removes the catch pin from`said hole while the body slides axially and retracts the pen point,said catch pin then bearing on the body and holding the free end of thespring clip extended laterally outwardly of the body and toward theother end of the barrel to serve as a hook-like support for the pen.

2. A fountain pen according to claim l, wherein the barrel includes twoportions detachably joined together, opposite free ends of said portionsbeing tapered, said flange being located in one of said portions of thebarrel, said recess being located in the other portion of the barrel.

3. A fountain pen according to claim 2, further comprising a sealing andwiping means disposed at the other end of the barrel in said one portionthereof adjacent :said flange, for wiping `the pen point and forexcluding air to keep the ink from ev-aporating While the pen point isretracted in the barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 6Zepeiovitch Apr. 21, 1959 M-ansheim Ian. 5, 1960 Martin et a1. Aug. 23,1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Dec. `l, 1948 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1951France Aug. 13, 1956 France June 22, 1959

1. A FOUNTAIN PEN, COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL BARREL, A TUBULAR BODYAXIALLY DISPOSED IN THE BARREL AND SLIDABLE THEREIN, SAID BODY HAVING ALATERAL HOLE NEAR ONE END THEREOF, A CYLINDRICAL CARTRIDGE CONTAININGINK AXIALLY DISPOSED IN SAID BODY, SAID CARTRIDGE HAVING A FRANGIBLE ENDWALL, A PEN POINT AND INK FEEDING STEM INSERTED IN SAID ONE END OF SAIDBODY AND SLIDABLE THEREWITH TO EXTEND OUT OF ONE END OF THE BARREL ANDTO RETRACT WITHIN SAID ONE END OF THE BARREL IN TWO DIFFERENT POSITIONSOF SAID BODY IN THE BARREL, A ROD-LIKE MEMBER COAXIAL WITH SAID BODY ANDMOVABLE TO PROJECT ONE END THEREOF OUT OF THE OTHER END OF THE BARREL INONE POSITION OF THE BODY WHILE THE PEN POINT IS RETRACTED INSIDE THEBARREL, A COIL SPRING IN THE BARREL COAXIAL WITH SAID BODY AND BEARINGON SAID ONE END THEREOF, SAID SPRING BIASING SAID BODY TO SAID ONEPOSITION THEREOF RETRACTING THE PEN POINT AND EXTENDING THE ROD-LIKEMEMBER, AN ELONGATED SPRING CLIP SECURED AT ONE END THEREOF NEAR SAIDONE END OF THE BARREL, SAID CLIP HAVING A CATCH PIN NEAR SAID ONE ENDTHEREOF ENGAGEABLE IN THE HOLE IN SAID BODY FOR HOLDING THE BODY IN THEOTHER OF SAID TWO POSITIONS WITH THE PEN POINT EXTENDED FROM THE BARRELAND WITH SAID ONE END OF THE ROD-LIKE MEMBER RETRACTED INTO THE BARREL,SAID BARREL HAVING AN ANNULAR FLANGE NEAR THE OTHER END THEREOFPROVIDING A SEAT FOR SAID SPRING, SAID BARREL HAVING AN EXTERNAL,LATERAL, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RECESS, SAID CLIP HAVING A FREE OTHEREND DISPOSED IN SAID RECESS SO THAT THE CLIP LIES FLUSH WITH THEEXTERIOR OF THE BARREL WHEN THE PEN POINT IS EXTENDED IN WRITINGPOSITION, SAID FREE OTHER END OF THE CLIP EXTENDING TOWARD THE OTHER ENDOF THE BARREL, A PRONG CARRIED BY SAID BODY INTERIORLY THEREOF ANDPIERCING THE FRANGIBLE END WALL OF THE CARTRIDGE TO FORM AN OPENINGTHEREIN, SAID STEM HAVING AN INK FEEDING GROOVE COMMUNICATING WITH THEOPENING IN THE END WALL OF THE CARTRIDGE, AND A CAP DETACHABLY SECUREDTO THE OTHER END OF SAID BODY APPLYING PRESSURE AXIALLY TO THE CARTRIDGETO FORCE SAID END WALL AGAINST SAID PRONG AND MAINTAIN SAID OPENING INCOMMUNICATION WITH SAID GROOVE, SAID ROD-LIKE MEMBER BEING INTEGRAL WITHSAID CAP AND EXTENDING AXIALLY THEREFROM, WHEREBY LIFTING THE FREE ENDOF THE SPRING CLIP OUT OF SAID RECESS REMOVES THE CATCH PIN FROM SAIDHOLE WHILE THE BODY SLIDES AXIALLY AND RETRACTS THE PEN POINT, SAIDCATCH PIN THEN BEARING ON THE BODY AND HOLDING THE FREE END OF THESPRING CLIP EXTENDED LATERALLY OUTWARDLY OF THE BODY AND TOWARD THEOTHER END OF THE BARREL TO SERVE AS A HOOK-LIKE SUPPORT FOR THE PEN.